A Question of Family
by Wyldehart
Summary: In all the years she'd known him, the one constant with her beloved Fenris had been his dedication to the idea of family. He yearned for it, envied it in others but seemed resigned to never having one of his own. Justina sets out to show him what family is and that, yes, even he can have one if he wants it badly enough. ***Adult Content: Sex. Violence. Angst. Sappy romance. Sex.***
1. Chapter 1

**Brand new story!**

Usual warnings apply: Here be smut aplenty mixed in with some angst and sappy romance. This is a happy tale, light and feel-good but don't worry: Nothing is ever easy (Save Isabela).

"What if" things progressed naturally after the events following the end of Dragon Age 2? Hawke becomes Viscount and Fenris remains by her side, dedicated as ever, but yearning for more than her love? More than her body? But unable to ask because he feels out of place, uncertain that his past is the proper foundation for a healthy family. Hawke knows, though, that it's just a question...

**_A question of family._**

* * *

**Chapter: 1**

Justina stood in the midst of chaos and searched the faces of those gathered reverently around her. All the templars, even Cullen, especially Cullen, knelt before her, helms in hand, heads bowed low. But there was one face, one pair of soft, green eyes she sought, one deep, graveled voice she was desperate to hear and one strong chest she needed to fold herself against before she could feel human again.

"Fenris?" she asked.

"I am here for you, Justina. What is your need?" he asked her softly as he approached from her right. He was always on her right. She hoped he never strayed from there.

She turned to him and felt his arms draw her against him tightly. "There is so much to do and they-they want me to lead them as Viscount. Haven't we done enough?" she whispered against his long neck.

"If there was anyone in this city who could lead it during crisis, it is you. But I will follow where you lead, even in this." Hearing his voice, listening to his words made her feel stronger, braver and ready to face the templars gathered before her.

She straightened her back as Merrill, Isabela and Varric gathered close to her. Fenris held her in the circle of one strong arm, sharing his strength with her. These were her friends, her companions and she loved each and every one of them. At her back, a shadow whose friendship, like her sword, had never faltered, was Aveline. She placed a reassuring hand on Justina's shoulder then gave it a gentle squeeze. "You can do this, Hawke."

"I guess I'm Viscount, then…" she said into the quiet. The thunderous sound of applause and cheers, pepper with her name and the word, "Champion" filled the Gallows as the few hundred templars and Aveline's guards cheered for their new leader.

"Let her speak!" bellowed Cullen, whose smile was broad as he stood near her. The cheers quieted and only the clank and clash of armor and shifting boots could be heard.

From Justina's left, Varric chuckled and shouldered his crossbow with an observation: "Well, assuming he didn't get himself killed, Bran's gonna love this!" A ripple of laughter lit up the courtyard by those who had had dealings with the red-haired politician. "Hm! He might even quit in a fit of pique."

"Are you asking for the job if he did, Varric?" Hawke asked with a gleam in her eye.

The dwarf stepped back and laughed, left hand in front of his face. "Shit, no! I have enough political drama to deal with now that I inherited Bartrand's job. No wonder he went crazy. Just an observation, Ruby."

"'Ruby'?" both Justina and Aveline asked at the same time.

"Yeah, it's Hawk's new nickname. You like it? Matches her hair…"

"I do…! But what about me?" Aveline asked the smirking dwarf as he stood before her, smug as ever.

"'Mon Capitan' work for yah? Heh heh heh." he quipped in a mock Orlesian accent. The guard captain sighed and raised her hand for her men to see. They stood at attention, backs straight as could be expected considering that so many were injured.

"One of these days, Varric…" she sighed with a shake of her light red tresses. "Hawke… Speech? We still have work to do."

Justina shook her head as if she'd been in a dream and faced the gathered people, men and women of war, people who had shed blood, even many mages, on behalf of the city. They met her eyes in silence.

"Today, all of you fought well," she began as she raised her voice as loud as it would go. "Heroes one and all, proud men and women who came together under one banner, one goal and we won. We did not just fight templar against mage or mage against templar. That may have been how it began but eventually we all fought for one purpose: Kirkwall. In the end, there was no right or wrong side. It was zealot against zealot and as the, ahem, thinking faction of the city, we rose up against them both and won, despite deplorable odds.

"We are still one side; no right, no wrong. Cullen, for now, you are Knight Commander since Meredith succumbed to Bartrand's brand of crazy and tried to wipe us all out. For now, there will be no, I shall repeat, zero tranquilizing of mages without a full convention of the proper authorities! Are we clear? In addition, I want the mages to have the freedom to work, live and aid in the repairs of the city without being watched night and day by templars-"

Fenris caressed her face with his fingertips gently as he interrupted, "Are you certain? They could still be a danger."

"We need them, Fenris. I need them. Their skills will help us rebuild and they will feel a greater sense of loyalty for having a purpose rather than being cooped up in that tower. No wonder so many of them went insane," Justina said softly to him. He nodded though his expression told her he remained unconvinced.

Her voice raised loud once again, Justine thrust her fist into the air as she proclaimed, "We _will_ bring Kirkwall back to its former glory. We will rebuild her and we will make her better than she has ever been! Heroes of Kirkwall! We have defeated our enemies and now-"

"-To the Hanged Man for drinks, Hawke's treat!" Varric said with a laugh among the cheers. Justina shot him a look and sighed.

"I have work to do…" she grumbled to him as he latched Bianca in her holster on his back and started walking toward the stair to Low Town.

He made a face and patted her arm. "Work-schmerk, Ruby. You have just finished wiping out half the mages in Kirkwall, destroyed their circle, killed both the leaders of said circle and been made Viscount. If anyone deserves a few pints, on you, it's you. And you and Broody here can run off and plan your honeymoon before you have to kick people's asses to repair the city."

"Honeymoon?" Justina and Fenris snapped, both faces flushed. Varric ignored them as he reached the stairs, a happy tune on his lips though he was well aware of the lovers as they stared at his retreating back. "You do realize, Varric, that tomorrow your part in this rebuilding process begins," said the woman behind him. He paused and looked back them. "Aye. You're part of the Merchant's guild which means, my old friend, that you can get us some good Dwarven masons, engineers and craftsmen to help us rebuild the city at the best price. Once that's done, then we can discuss our 'honeymoon,'" Justina said with a grin. It was the only time in their years together she could think of when Varric had nothing clever to say.

He groaned and pulled himself up the stairs as he grumbled, "I think I need something stronger than a pint…"

Aveline walked up to Hawke and laid her hand on her arm. "You two should get some rest. The guard and the templars will comb the city for survivors and put out the remaining fires. Check on your estates… Fenris, yours was very close to the Chantry; there may be nothing left."

"It…doesn't matter," he murmured with a shake of his head. "I will find a place if I must..." His guarded expression met Hawke's smiling eyes.

Justina kissed his lips in reassurance, gently driving away the fear that he would have nowhere else to go if the mansion was destroyed. It was all he needed and he held her against him, protectively. She then turned and faced Aveline. "Are you certain that we can't do anything?" she asked.

The guard captain pursed her lips and said, "Well, you both live in Hightown. As I said, just see what remains of your homes and report your findings to the guard in the area. They'll find me. Whatever you do, be careful! I would prefer it if you just get a room at the Hanged Man but no guarantees on privacy there. Plus, I know you, Hawke; you won't listen to me anyway."

The captain walked away to rally with her men without waiting for Hawke's reply. Fingers entwined with Fenris', she looked up into his eyes and grinned. "Shall we see what kind of a mess Anders made of the city, then?" Fenris nodded and together they traveled into the heart of the blast.

It was horrific but not as bad as Justina feared it would be.

"Well, Hightown survived better than I thought it would, considering…" Justina remarked as they wound their way through the empty streets. Looters scattered as they approached, their blood-spattered armor and weapons giving them a foreboding appearance that said, "These warriors faced down death many times over… And they won. Face them now, and they will still win."

Eventually, they entered the region where the bombs' horrific explosions rocked the city to its core. No buildings within the close radius of the Chantry survived and what buildings remained were ruined by the debris flung out from all sides. Gingerly, they picked through the rubble to Fenris' mansion and Justina gasped at the sight of it.

Before them lay a partial shell of a large home, staircases dangling and windows shattered so that now they resembled square-shaped holes in the walls. At the top, Fenris' room remained, his bed strangely well preserved though only that small portion had survived.

He waved her back, motioned her to stay as he climbed over the broken puzzle-pieces of the walls that had once been Denarius' former refuge. He stood in the middle of it, his eyes missing nothing as he took it all in.

Behind him, Justina breathed softly into the late afternoon quiet, "Fenris… I am so, so sorry…"

"No, Justina, do not. This… This is good. This is closure. This is…_freedom_. I shall not weep over the last vestiges of my life as a slave. I do not know why I clung to it for so long but now, standing over the rubble of what had once chained me to Denarius even after his death, I feel empowered to _finally_ move on and live free as I never have."

"Let's dig through the debris and see if there is anything worth salvaging-" Justina began.

"No. There is nothing, not even clothes. I never had much to begin with, just a few odds and ends…and the book of Shartan but I long ago placed that book in your house for safe keeping so… There is truly _nothing_ left."

He turned to her, a hint of sadness mingled with hope in his angular face and said, "My one regret is that I no longer have a place to hold my Diamond Back games. Or… Do I?" A smile tugged at his lips, for he knew the answer to his own question before he even asked it.

Wasting no time nor the moment, Kirkwall's champion carefully navigated her way to Fenris' side and drew him against her, her lips close to his ear as she whispered with a chuckle, "You and your card games... My love, the answer is, and always has been, 'yes.' Yes, you will have a home and yes that home will be with me. Though I suspect we will be expected to eventually move into the Keep…" Her eyes slid up the tall towers of what was now the tallest building in Kirkwall. Somehow, the Keep's walls had stood strong against the intense blast. Still, she worried about its strength and decided that the dwarves Varric gathered would have to assess the structural integrity of the building before she even stepped foot into it.

"'We' now, is it?" he purred in his deep voice. "I like that… I like that very much. Justina? May we…go home?"

Smiling, she nodded and though she was long past fatigued, she picked her way through the remains of the Chantry region of Hightown with her arm around Fenris. Just who supported whom was anyone's guess as they both sagged with exhaustion. Two days or more of intense fighting with little rest for either had left both suffering with sleep deprivation, especially Justina, who was as much a figurehead as fighter and had to be available for moral support of the fighters.

At last, her own well-protected home loomed before her, beckoning to her with welcome. She dug through her pouches in search of the key as the elf behind her grumbled softly. Justina looked back at her lover whose back was sagging against the doorway, eyes hidden by his mop of silver hair. He was in a dark mood and she needed to get him inside and comfortable, perhaps in front of the fire... Oh… Right. No fire… No help in the house. She would need to get a new steward to run things eventually. For now, she was happy for the solitude, as would Fenris.

Gently, the new Viscount ushered Fenris inside and all but sank to the floor herself as lack of sleep rushed up to consume her. Though he was clearly exhausted, Fenris' arms were around her and together, they stumbled into the house, up the stairs and onto the bed, fully armored and smelling of smoke, blood and dank sweat. Neither cared as they enjoyed the moment of peace while they lay there, gazing into one another's eyes. Justina thought back over the years and the struggle it had taken to get him to this place, this moment.

For the longest time, she'd waited for him patiently. For the longest time, he'd remained silent about his feelings for her, though his actions made it clear that he loved her. And so she waited. And so he eventually gave in. She loved him as much as she could not recall loving anyone in her life, save her parents and Bethany, who was long gone from Kirkwall as Grey Warden. It was a revelation for her as it made her feel alive inside in such a way that she'd never thought possible. He completed her, body and soul and there was nothing she wanted more right now than him and this moment.

Softly, awed by the strength of her emotions and stripped bare of her pride, she whispered, "I'm so glad you're here with me…"

"I wouldn't have allowed it otherwise. I am yours for as long as you will have me…" he murmured in return.

She took his hand and squeezed it tightly, her eyelids failing her as she breathed, "Then I shall have you… Forever…"

"Justina… Or is it 'Ruby' now?" Fenris said with a throaty chuckle.

"Hmm? Oh, Varric can kiss my ass. What, my love?"

"I shall call you 'Beloved' then… We need baths and we need to get out of this foul armor before we ruin your bedding," the elf said with a hint of amusement.

"You do it… I'm sleepin'," Hawke muttered under her breath as she cradled her head in her arms and faded off into slumber.

A short while later, she awoke with a start and a sensation of drowning as she found herself neck-deep in a full bath of sweetly-scented hot water and a strong, lyrium-branded elven body against her. Fenris was carefully washing her hair and shushed her as he scrubbed out the blood and bits of flesh that had dried to her short, auburn locks. "Relax, Beloved. Just relax. I like doing this for you. One wonders how you managed before me…" He then began chanting softly in Tevene, the sound a soothing blend of harmony and poetry though it had no tune. She didn't understand a single word of it but feeling his bare body so tightly pressed to her was reassurance of her safety and soon, she was once again asleep and at his mercy.

Hours later, she awoke in a kind of dream-state, her body clean and her armor and undertunic propped against a chair. She looked over and Fenris was lying beside her, his green eyes open and a half-smile teasing his full lips. A candle's light danced on the nightstand to his left, a book in his hands. "Wha-?" she gasped as she slid up against his warm body. "You…? I passed out! I cannot believe I passed out!"

He chuckled, set the book down with it open to his page and enveloped her in his embrace. "Yes, I certainly did. You passed out and I managed to strip and bathe us both. Remind me to thank the engineers of this house for placing your bath so close to the bedroom; you are deceptively smaller than me but you are no feather. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Though I still get a bit nervous when I fall asleep with you…" she chided with grin.

With a touch of vehemence, he said, "I will not abandon you again. I gave my word. Have you recovered enough to eat? I put tea and meat on… I… Was taught how to cook while I was a slave. Those skills have come in useful over the years so, I have done both in small measure for you."

She gently moved her body so that she was straddling his lap and placed her hands on his face, his eyes on hers as she smiled sweetly, "'Us,' my love. Remember that. You're part of something now. You don't have to serve me as I am capable of serving myself. But if you want to provide for both of us… Hmm…" She leaned back slightly, grinding her pelvis against his and he closed his eyes in pleasure. He wasn't inside her but oh, how he longed to be.

His hands ran up her back and cupped her shoulders, pulled them so that her face and his were even. Their lips touched, their mouths embraced and she reached reached between his legs…

To be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

From somewhere in the bowels of the big house a loud whistling began, an annoying echo of warning that the tea was ready to pour. Fenris gave Justina a look of regret coupled with wry humor as he gingerly lifted her from his marked body and threw both his long, lean legs over his side of the bed. The elf stretched and reached for a soft silken robe he'd tossed carelessly over a chair in the room, donned it and smiled over his shoulder as Justina stood beside him, her arms across her chest.

"Its timing is lousy," she remarked dryly.

"But not unforeseen," replied Fenris, his face still brightened by that slight grin of his. "I must get the rest of our dinner from the oven, anyway. My cooking is not exceptional but it will keep us from starvation, at any rate."

Clothed only in her short, red hair, red lips and the many light scars and more recent injuries that marked her profession as a warrior, Justina followed Fenris down stairs where she was greeted by her cheerful dog, his short tail wagging. Something smelled incredible! Suddenly aware of her body's other needs, Kirkwall's champion followed her nose and Fenris' retreating back until both ended up in her well-appointed kitchen.

"I was impressed by how well-stocked your larder is. You weren't lacking for many of the items I desired… And nothing was overripe. I was able to acquire a fresh pork loin and bread from what remains of the High Town market and the rest I did through experimentation. I confess I'm no Orlesian chef but…" Justina watched as the elf produced a very handsome pork roast smothered with herbs and cooked with roasted onions and potatoes. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until this very moment and the meat now seated on the wood counter was as enticing as the meat swaying in front of Fenris' lyrium-marked thighs behind his borrowed robe. "The herbs were, hmm... Merrill's idea. She's not _entirely_ evil though… I still don't like her. But she does understand cooking, at least."

"Did you sleep at all?" Justina asked as she plucked a piece of the pork from tray. "This meat is incredible! Maker's breath, Fenris, if this is what passes for 'not exceptional' in your opinion then I really want to see how you view 'exceptional!'"

"I slept some. But there were other things I had to do so I did them." He looked at Justina as he set out plates and knives and forks, an eyebrow raised. "You should probably put something on, a robe perhaps?"

Grinning, she looked up at him while she cut the meat. "I have no staff, we're the only ones present right now and it's very warm in here. Why should I bother? Don't you like it?" He watched her stretch like a cat, her strong muscles raising her breasts and lifting her nipples in a way that flirted with his senses. He couldn't hide the effect she had on his body so he sat down at the kitchen table, cheeks flushed though his eyes did not leave her rich, fire-drenched flesh.

"I told you that you would be the death of me, Justina…" he murmured as he withdrew the loaf of bread and added it to their meal. "That prophecy may yet be realized. Though… You're right: I don't mind the view as long as you're willing to display it. I appreciate that you trust me this much and your own sense of freedom… It is refreshing as well as inspiring. Perhaps someday, I too can feel so free."

"Give it time, love."

They ate with little conversation and drank their tea and wine using smiles and deep gazes to express what they wanted to say. Fenris was a man of few words, something Justina respected. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, his command of language was excellent and he used words that expressed entire thoughts into one or two sentences. The former slave had a mind as sharp as any scholar's and he retained much of what he learned. Teaching him to read had been one of Justina's greatest pleasures as the elf, eager to expand his limited world, devoured every lesson with the hunger of a starving dog.

Silently, they washed the dishes side-by-side and kissed sometimes, simply enjoying one another's closeness and the joy of their bodies so near. They were nearly finished when Justina opened the front of her love's robe, displaying his long, lean body for her eyes to feast upon. He was unlike most elves, who were small and reed-thin. Fenris' body was tall, slender but powerfully built with hard knots of taut muscle that added to his svelte appearance rather than making him appear bulky. He was stronger than most elves as well and his chiseled torso and solid chest and abs were a testament to his physical prowess. Then there were his markings…

During love-play, when he was at his most relaxed, the lyrium embedded in his skin glowed at her touch. Because the brands were over-sensitive, in the beginning of their relationship, he would cringe when she stirred them by sweeping her fingers across his skin, so painful were his memories of their creation. But over the course of their years together, she had convinced him and his skin that the tattoos could be used to stir pleasure. In time, he went from flinching away to moaning with desire as her hands found little ways of awakening his corporeal needs.

He smiled and gestured to the remaining cookware in the sink. "They will not wash themselves, Beloved. You tease me!"

"I'm done washing and ruling and cleaning and whatever else Viscounts do! I want you, Fenris, I want you to _prove_ to me that I am still alive."

He sighed dramatically, "Oh, very well…" and dumped the pot back into the sink, nearly splashing them both. Smiling playfully, she took both his hands and pulled him to the fireplace in the library where a chair usually resided in front of it along with a plush rug. The flames danced happily now that Fenris had taken the time to light it.

As they walked inside the warm space, Justina noticed the bookshelves were mostly empty, the majority of her many tomes having been shaken free of their shelves by the blast. One shelf had toppled over, much to her dismay. "Well, shit…" she murmured as she ran up the stairs. "Shit, shit, shit. Fenris, could you help me, please?"

He cursed under his breath but did as she asked. "Now? I thought we were going to…?"

"We will but… The books, Fenris! Look at this! Help me raise it, please?" The scowl on his face more than any words displayed his displeasure. But the elf was loyal and braced his legs as they perched on a pile of books, many of them quite old. The pair's footing was painful and precarious but with a grunt and a shove, the shelf was righted to Justina's satisfaction. She turned to thank her lover and stumbled, an explosion of laughter erupting from deep within her as she fell. Fenris attempted to catch her but instead lost his own footing in the pile.

He scowled at her, his nude limbs akimbo as she heaved with laughter but after a moment's hesitation, he reached out and pulled her against him, his smile clear, and his eyes bright. "You are insane…" he murmured against her lips.

She kissed him back with more passion than she expected and gasped when his fingers slid down her body. They teased her flesh, danced upon her fair skin and awoke her senses. The scent of him, woody and musky with a faint aroma of flowers and spice, thrilled her as she nibbled his neck playfully. His one hand cupped her breast, squeezed her nipple while the other flirted with her pubis, cupping it but not venturing within the folds of pink flesh. She arched her neck back as he leaned over her and let his tongue trace sensual lines of wetness that covered her in gooseflesh. Then Fenris leaned forward, his mouth against her ear and whispered, "I am yours…"

"...Then I shall take you…" she whispered back.

Fenris' fingers plunged into the sweet, wet channel between her thighs, causing chills of desire to lance throughout her beautiful body. But though his index finger teased her pleasure-spot, his motive clearly wasn't to thrill her with his hands but orally. He took his time, working his mouth all over her lean, strong body while lingering over her breasts.

Fenris drew first one fat, red nipple into his mouth, sucking and teasing it while the fingers of his free hand hardened the other with gentle pinches and tugs. Justina laid upon the bed of dusty books, limp against his arms, gasping as he brought her so close to climax she wanted to scream but didn't. He played her body the way a musician plays a finely tuned instrument and he hadn't even reached the second verse. "Fenris… Maker, Fenris…" she moaned.

Her breasts were now so aroused that almost nothing of her areola was left, only the erect red points that aimed at the ceiling. They were beginning to hurt but still, they sent shivers of need undulating throughout her, from her toes through her fingers and especially at her groin, his fingers plunged repeatedly, gently stimulating her to wetness. Much more of this and she knew she would faint.

But if Justina thought he was playfully, wickedly driving her mad with lust using his hands and mouth before, how little had she realized what he was capable of. Yes, they had made love many times before but this time seemed… different. Fenris was stretching it out longer than usual, taking his time to ensure she received the maximum benefit of his touch. He was so much more in tune with her needs than she could ever remember and being so attentive that there was nothing she felt she needed to ask for. He knew her in a way that not even she knew herself and that reality was startling.

His mouth covered her pubis and then his tongue twirled and tickled her clit so delicately at first that she almost didn't notice the symphony building within her. Those tiny sensations built up a crescendo of sensation that all he had to do was back up slightly and gently blow on it to cause her to body to convulse in a powerful orgasm that shook her to her core. Only after sustaining it far longer than she'd ever experienced, only then did he draw her thighs up over his shoulders and thrust his cock deep inside her. He gasped and leaned his torso as tightly against her as her legs would allow, his mouth suckling her breasts and kissing her cheeks, her nose, her eyes and her lips over and over.

His skin glowed softly in dim light made by the fire below, the glow more intense than usual and she thought he looked incredible. Fenris did, indeed, "glisten" as Isabela once implied he must. Justina sighed, marveling at this amazing specimen of a man who was now her lover and she whispered, "I love you, Fenris." He thrilled her by gasping, "I know… And I…love you in return."

When he was spent, he pulled her legs off his shoulders and scooped her into his arms. "Books…make an insufficient bed," he grumbled as he carried her back up into the bedroom. Justina didn't protest or say a word as he carried her like a limp doll to the place where their day had begun.

...To Be Continued


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Three months later, Justina Hawke and Fenris stood outside her office within the Viscount's Keep, Seneschal Bran standing before them with his arms crossed. "You don't seem to understand… Though you gained leadership against my approval, that doesn't mean you have the right to decide what is best for the office. He…" Bran indicated Fenris with a nod of his head, "...is a political liability. They will tear you apart unless you find someone more….suitable…to your station. You are more than nobility; you are practically a queen and you best start acting like one."

"Is killing him still not an option?" Fenris growled in his low voice from his place behind her right shoulder. Justina wanted to tell him that things had changed but, alas, killing the Seneschal was probably a bad idea. She shook her head.

"Bran, I refuse to give him up for anyone or any reason. Fenris is a part of me; I've loved him for years! I will not allow the petty bigotry of others force my hand, especially not yours. Now do your job or quit. I'm tired of your fade-cursed attitude and I am frankly done with it, do you hear me? Done!"

Bran glared crossly at her and smiled dangerously. "Just so you know, I've let it slip that you are viscount… and available. Not just in the Free Marches, either, but all throughout Thedas. I suspect you will eventually have no choice but to marry, a human, as befitting a proper lady of Kirkwall." He unfolded his arms, mockingly bowed to her and walked away to his office.

"Son of a-"

"May I end his life now, Justina?" Fenris asked, hand on his sword, as he stepped up beside her.

"Maybe later. I think I want to kill the piece of shit using his own patronizing cock…" she snarled as she whirled into the path of Aveline.

"Ah… Hello, Aveline…!"

"Hawke, I need your help. Now! My office! Immediately!" Fenris looked down at Justina and Justina shrugged up at Fenris. There had been other times of urgency that Aveline had brought them down to her office and in those times, simple solutions had been the best though the Captain tended to overthink things. They followed her into the barracks with matching expressions of wry amusement.

Once inside, Aveline closed and locked the office door behind them. She then began pacing, back and forth, pacing…

"Aveline, we tire of this though we are sympathetic. What is wrong?" Fenris asked diplomatically. He wanted to leave but chose to be polite about it.

"Wrong…? Wrong…! This is all your doing, Hawke. You encouraged me to marry Donnic and here I am, married to Donnic and on the last night of battle, after we defeated Meredith, he and I… Well, suffice to say, this morning I'm enjoying tea and scones for breakfast with Merrill and all of a sudden, she exclaims, 'Mythal! You're with child!' I'm thinking there's no way! But she's insisting and she has magic and… Ugh! Hawke, I blame you!"

"What did I do other than make it obvious that you wanted him? I don't recall having any more, ah, personal involvement in the baby-making process."

"You were wooing him completely wrong though I found it to be strangely endearing," added Fenris.

"What's the problem, Aveline?" Justina asked her with a grin.

Wringing her hands as she paced, Aveline said, "I don't know how to tell him. We have never discussed children and here I am, pregnant, and I've no clue how he's going to-"

"I have," interjected the elf softly.

"You have- what?"

"Discussed children with him. It started as a conversation about family, having them and wanting little ones and what 'normal' means. It was a good talk. He expressed great fondness in having children of his own. With you. So, I doubt he will be dismayed in the least."

Justina looked at fenris, her brows raised in askance. "And what about you?"

"My desire for a family is complete as long as I am with you. I will say no more on this."

Aveline continued pacing, her armor clanking as she walked. "How in the world am I going to raise a child in the barracks? There's no way the Captain of the Guard can waddle about in a moo-moo looking like an over-ripe watermelon with arms, legs and a helm. They'll never take me seriously! I'm barely fitting into this uniform as it is! Do they even make armor for big bellies?"

Hawke took Aveline by her upper arms and pushed her so that she leaned against her desk. "They have been taking you seriously for six years and some. I doubt a baby will change that. As far as your residence goes, yes, the barracks is a poor place for a child but since the mass exodus after the Qunari attacked, the Viscount's office was forced to confiscate several unpaid houses in Hightown that remain empty. I think we can find one nearby that is suitable to raising a child. A reward for your service or a gift from me, it's all the same."

That had the effect of shutting Aveline up completely. She stared at them, her green eyes flicking between both elf and Champion. "I guess… I'm going to be a mother in a few months. Me… Of all people… A damned mother. Who'd have thought?"

Justina hugged her friend and said, "Donnic and you are going to be excellent parents."

"You said Donnic's name first… Why?"

"Hmm? No reason. Reverse letter order," Hawke replied with a grin.

"Donnic is coming by the Hanged Man for Diamond Back and Wicked Grace tonight. You could announce your impending pregnancy there…" Fenris suggested with a knowing grin.

"No, no. I am not announcing it there, of all places. I will simply…"

A knock at the door startled them and Aveline, her hands shaking, reached up and unlocked it. Her husband stood on the other side, his expression blank as his eyes shifted among the three people in front of him. "Am I interrupting something, Captain?"

"Not really. Please, come in. And right now, I'm in wife-mode, not captain. I want this informal as possible."

"Congratulations, Donnic; you're going to be a daddy," Justina said cheerfully as Donnic slid up beside his wife. His eyes widened as he looked at her and then at Hawke and back at his wife. Aveline cringed and stared daggers at Hawke that might have been deadly had they been real. Carefully, she mouthed, _"Bitch."_

"I… Really? Is this…?" he stammered in his excitement.

"We didn't think you should wait another six months to find out. It was going to take her that long to drum up the nerve to tell you," said Hawke with a chuckle.

Aveline shot her an irritated look before smiling sweetly as she leaned against her desk. "Yes… I'm having a baby and Hawke, here, is buying us a house to raise it in. That is, the Viscount office is rewarding us with a house. All the same, I won't say 'no.'"

Donnic was on his feet, arms around his wife as Aveline shooed her visitors away with the same urgency she ushered them into her office. "Out! Both of you! Begone!"

"She usually solves these problems herself. Why must she involve us?" Fenris grumbled as they climbed the stairs out of the keep.

"Because we're her friends, Fenris, love."

As they reached the door, a man came through and bowed to Hawke, his shaggy blond hair in his eyes. "Greetings! I am here to see the Viscount. Is she available?"

Fenris made a face and said, "No, she is not."

"My name is Comte D'Laison. I was hoping to meet the most eligible Viscount in the Free Marches for-"

Fenris slid in between the Comte and his beloved, his hand on his sword as his brands flared momentarily. "Viscountess Hawke is not interested, human, so you've wasted your time coming here. Now, I suggest you leave before I have to escort you out myself."

"I read about you… You're her bodyguard, are you not? The 'Painted Elf' she keeps? You must be she, then. This man really is a barbarian… You need a man who is more refined. Like me!"

"If it is all the same, Serah, I am content with my 'barbarian' elf. Thank you, though. Before he loses his temper, you might want to move on… Just some advice." Was this how she was going to be spending the next several months? Seeing Bran's head mounted on a pike outside the city was looking better and better.

After the lordling fled, Fenris relaxed and his brands faded. He turned to Hawke and lifted one corner of his mouth in a half grin. "Now that that is settled… Shall we head to the Hanged Man? There's a Wicked Grace game there tonight and Varric owes me from last week." Justina slid her arms around him for a squeeze as they walked, the pair laughing easily as they left the day and its stresses behind them. Before them, the sun was beginning to set and games to be played at the Hanged Man.

To be Continued:


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

The months slid by like leaves on the wind. Cooler days approached and autumn was fully upon them on this sunny, carefree afternoon. Kirkwall was a city of stone and iron but at Viscountess Hawke's request, trees were being planted throughout the city, even in Lowtown. With the visible improvements and better security by Aveline's guard, the crime rate plunged. There were fewer more joyous things in life than witnessing a tree decorated by happy children, even poor children and it turned the slums from an eyesore to a region of hope.

The guard captain, her heavily pregnant body in an approximation of her uniform from the top of her belly up and chain mail over her belly to her thighs, walked beside Hawke through the Low Town Market. She gestured to her guards. "We've stepped up daytime patrols and doubled night watches. Those two changes, Hawke, have slashed injuries and cut down the number of incidences by half. I cannot thank you enough for the coin to make this happen. And your idea of planting trees is… Ahhh. Amazing what a bit of color does to so depressing a place. You are a true friend of the people."

"Merrill's idea before she left to seek out other Dalish clans-" Justina began.

"-Good riddance," spat Fenris.

Aveline and Hawke looked back at him with clouded expressions. He squared his shoulders and crossed his arms, his expression stern as he grumbled, "What? One less apostate to worry about, a woman who is as much a Malificar as any of them. Her gentle demeanor does not hide the evil lurking within her."

"He won't change, Hawke. Let it be," Aveline murmured as she took her friend's arm.

"I never expected him to. He's who he is and… I've never wanted anything more."

"You're braver than I am, Hawke. So… Any plans for a family yourselves or is that rushing things?" Fenris was several steps away, his eyes on his feet as they walked. Justina knew he was listening so she guarded her replies since he loathed his personal business being spread about like idle gossip.

"He… Wants a child, I think, but there are complications; the Lyrium has changed him in some ways… And... We have yet to discuss it. It's a sore topic with him." Fenris grunted behind them.

"You may as well tell her, Justina. You've let out that much!" said the annoyed elf behind them.

Hawke looked back at him, her eyebrows drawn slightly. "I'm preserving your dignity, Fenris. Relax. Anyway… I'm Viscount and he is viewed by pretty much everyone as a lesser being. I hate it. I have made it clear that he is with me as my personal bodyguard and assistant but he is still dismissed without regard to our feelings. He says he is used to it. I am not. Then there's my position. It's strong, I am respected but Bran has made it clear that he will fight me on every turn until I am properly wed…to anyone _but_ Fenris. I dream of target practice with his balls. The first of my potential suitors arrived last week and… Ugh."

"Can't you just order the Seneschal to stop?" Aveline asked as Justina shook her head and said, "He won't, even with threats. I hate it."

Fenris walked up to stand on the Guard Captain's other side. "Now you know the whole sordid tale. Happy?" he snapped.

"Not really, Fenris. Well, don't rush it. Donnic and I were married three years before this," she patted her belly fondly "happened. Take your time and enjoy yourselves. No sense forcing nature if that's your choice. I look forward to seeing you ripe with new life, my friend! It will change your world… Now, if you'll excuse me, that's the pick-pocket Yahvin told me about." Aveline leapt into action and ran down the fleeing elf as gracefully as ever, her sword swept out of its scabbard and taking aim at the young man. "Stop, you!" she shouted as he hauled himself over a short wall. But it was Aveline who was forced to stop, clearly frustrated that she couldn't just bound over it after him like she used to.

She shouted at her guards and they eventually wrestled him to the ground, his hand clenched around a silver chain stolen from a vendor in the market. Justina strolled up to him, Fenris in tow, and smiled sweetly. "Do you know who I am?" she asked.

The elf bobbed his head.

"Who am I?"

"The Champion, Misere."

"...And…?"

"The-the Viscount…My Lady."

"Correct. I am the Viscount. Do you like your freedom, boy?"

"Aye! I mean, yes, Milady."

"Then what are you doing risking your freedom in front of the Viscount and the Captain of the Guard? Much less the city guard themselves, here, in broad daylight? The thrill of the challenge? The coin you might fetch? Is it truly worth it? No? This offense comes with a price, you know. Prison is one… In other places, they remove hands…" She sensed Fenris and Aveline tense behind her as she continued in her gentle, even voice. "As this city's leader, I have the option to… Make things not so bad for you, boy. Or I can make them much worse. The choice is yours."

"Hawke, he needs to stand trial for his crimes and face the Magistrate," Aveline said, frowning.

Justina ignored her. "Where is the merchant you swiped this from?" He pointed to the trinkets vendor and Justina smiled. "Come with me, please."

Together, the boy and the Viscount walked to the vendor with two guards, Aveline and Fenris trailing behind, baffled, as to what Justina was up to. She introduced herself and the Vendor, flustered and embarrassed that she had failed to recognize the woman before her, apologized. "This boy has something for you…" The elf held out the chain and swallowed. The woman, her eyes wide, accepted it with a smile of thanks. "Tell her, lad…"

"I'm...sorry...misere…"

Hawke crossed her arms over her breasts. "...And…?"

"...I won't do it again, milady…"

"Have you need for help at your stall? You will be compensated for your contribution to his rehabilitation, of course. Is five soverigns a week fair?"

"Hawke-!" Aveline protested.

The vendor looked the boy over and then back up at Hawke. "If I say I don't, what will happen to him?"

Aveline cleared her throat and said, "I will be forced to bring him to trial before the Magistrate and because he was caught with the trinket in hand by guards and myself, he will serve time in the prison for whatever length the Magistrate deems appropriate. It could be a month or it could be years and there might be…physical punishment as well. Either way, it won't be pretty. Though I disapprove, Hawke's idea could spare him time, give him purpose." Justina looked back at Aveline with wide eyes and a smile on her lips.

"What does the boy say? Let him speak," the lady murmured.

"M-me? I… I guess I've only ever known this life. If I can change it, I will. I won't steal nothin'! Ever again. I swear it." The boy shifted his feet and swung his gaze imploringly between the three women and avoided Fenris' forest-hued scowl as it met his eyes.

But of all the voices the boy expected to hear in favor, the elf's was not one of them. Fenris cleared his throat and said in soft, low voice, "Hawke is right about him. If he is willing, this…should make things right. But if he is to be a slave or treated as one…" The warning hung in the air, a question and a threat.

The vendor flushed and shook her head. "I'll give him a hearth, food and coin for his work as long as he is to remain with me and if he does well, I'll offer him the position for as long as he pleases. A job, Ser." Satisfied, Fenris nodded.

"How long, Aveline?" Hawke asked as she threw a glance over her shoulder at the guard captain.

"You're asking me to be the Magistrate?" she asked, aghast at the idea. "I don't judge, Hawke, I reinforce the laws. That's it."

"You know the law, Aveline. How long?"

"I… A year? Less? He's owning up to it; I would ask leniency were I presenting him to the Magistrate."

Justina nodded and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You have a year, less if your employer thinks you've learned. Blow it and the Captain of the Guard brings you before the Magistrate and then… Well, you won't have another chance."

"I'll be watching you, or my guards will," Aveline added with her arms folded atop her stomach for good measure. The boy nodded and eagerly turned back to the trinkets vendor who handed him a broom.

As they walked away, Aveline bumped Justina with her hip. "I hope you know what you're doing, my friend."

"He's willing, I'm willing. Compromise is good sometimes. Fenris, thank you for nudging us in the right direction."

He smiled, slid up beside her and gently laid his hand on her back. These little gestures of comfort, of tenderness, had peppered their relationship even during the years they were apart. It was those touches and sweet looks that had given her the courage to keep a hold of him even as he'd struggled to maintain his distance. She leaned into him and as they walked, she couldn't help but note the longing in his eyes as he watched Aveline.

* * *

Night fell like a velvet cloak, its star-salted shade offering safety for some and death for others. No place was safe after dark in Kirkwall, even with the increase in guards and added patrols. Justina peered out of a window from her second floor window at the moonless sky and waited for the light touch of the elf she had fallen in love with.

It came, soft and soothing on her pale flesh. His lips teased the back of her neck, sending shivers of desire throughout her body. "I must admit, Beloved, I was rather pleased with the way you handled the boy today."

"It is my duty as Viscount to be just and fair. He was... What, fourteen years old? Less? I couldn't send him to prison; it would have broken my heart," she said, turning around in his arms. He was wearing a loose robe opened to his navel. She traced his tattoos with an idle finger, slowly, sensuously dragging it over to a dark, puckered nipple, encircling it until it was hard.

"Fenris...?" Justina drawled sweetly, her eyes on his strong, chiseled chest as she teased his smooth skin.

"Hmm?"

"You seemed rather taken with Aveline's condition today... Is there something you want to talk about?"

The elf stiffened and looked away. "Not now... Please..."

"No, now. We need to discuss this as it does involve me. You do want a family, I've seen it in your eyes. Would you like to try for a baby?" she said as he pulled away from her, head low and eyes cast upon the floor. "There is no better time than now. We are at peace and the Chantry in Orlais has not yet finalized a decision about how they plan to deal with the old uprising, which may be never. With the circle gone, the threat of their anger is diminished."

His voice took on an emotional, haunted sound as he wrapped his arms around his body so tightly she feared his arms would bruise. "I... Can't. I don't know what Denarius did to me inside, Justina. I don't know if it's even possible and if it is..." He swallowed, hard, and turned to look at her, his eyes swimming in tears as he whispered, "What kind of father would I be? Me? A former slave? And why would you, or anyone, want _that_ as the father? I... Just can't think about it."

He turned away in his bitterness and slumped his body against the wall, thankful for the darkness that hid his face.

Wearing her smile like a lady wears a gown, Justina crossed the distance between them and swept him up into her strong embrace. "Fenris... Fenris," she whispered, her fingers stroking his silvery locks. "If there is one subject that has ever been a constant with you it is the question of 'family.' You have yearned for it, hoped for it, perhaps for the sense of belonging that it brings. Perhaps to be the father yours could never be. But in all the time I have known you, I have never doubted your ability to a wonderful, if stern, parent to a growing child."

"Justina..." he protested, fighting her embrace. She was strong, this Champion of Kirkwall. She was a brave and mighty force to reckon with who nevertheless always knew when to go for the throat or go for the heart. Her words were as powerful as sword blows and her spirit made of pure gold. He leaned his forehead against her shoulder, defeated as his arms went around her, crushing her against him. "I could never inflict my desires upon you, shackle you to me. It would be unthinkable!"

"'Shackle?' Truly? If I bore us a child, Fenris, he or she would be liberation for us both, Beloved! It would be my honor, my pleasure and my gift for all your sacrifices. I love you, you knuckle-brained elf. You're more than my lover; you are my soul." If his arms had been tight before, now they held her in an embrace that forced the air from her lungs in their passion.

"Justina... I love you. I need you... I need this, you, now."

"You have me, Fenris. I... Oh!" He swept her body up into his arms and opened her robe with a hunger she had never seen before in his eyes. The Lyrium in his skin began to glow, giving him a haunting ghost-like appearance that Justina thought was beautiful. His mouth opened and came down on hers, hard, thrilling her as his hand gripped the back of her head while the other supported her against him. "Maker's Breath!" she gasped as he carried her to the bed and pushed her body down onto it before covering her with his...

To be continued…

Next chapter: SEX SCENE! YAY!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

He opened her robe wide, displaying the whole of her for his starving eyes. Fenris was forcefully gentle, his primal need to consume her with his passion tempered by love. "Maker... You're impossibly beautiful."

He held back his desire and focused it on pleasing her instead. The elf started with her face, showering her lips, nose, eyelids and cheeks with a flurry of soft kisses while his hands explored her body. He then moved his mouth down along her throat, licking and sucking her most sensitive spots, awakening her senses.

Holding back was hard for him; he quivered with need though he struggled to ignore it. Of all Justina's lovers since she lost her virginity at fourteen, Fenris was the most attentive, the most giving of himself and most gentle. Even wound tight as he was in this moment, he still refused to just take her.

His long fingers found her pubis, plunged deep inside of her while his thumb circled her clit and his mouth alternated between licking and sucking her breasts. She arched her back, moaned softly and closed her eyes as her body begged for release.

If there was one thing the elf did better than any lover, male or female, it was the gift of oral satisfaction. He had the perfect touch, always knowing how hard to suck with his mouth, how fast to swirl his tongue, how much pleasure was too much pleasure. His touch awakened every fiber of every nerve in her body, bringing her to the brink of orgasm before drifting off only to return her to the edge again.

One hand stroking her nipples while the other clenched handfuls of Fenris' soft, silver hair, Justina rolled her hips slowly under the elf's powerfully addictive oral manipulations. "F-Fenris..." She moaned softly. He brought her to the brink once more before covering her body with his and flipping her so that she rode astride his groin, putting her in control.

Justina grabbed his cock in one hand and thought about giving him some of his own medicine but her desperate need for release overwhelmed her. She shoved the thick, Lyrium- tattooed rod deep inside her as she pulled him up into a seated position. Fenris' arms went around her as she leaned back against him, his mouth suckling her nipples while he plunged himself deep inside of her.

He was a master of touch, coaxing sensation from her that varied from feather-soft to painful, often combining the two sensations into a devious amalgamation that teased her senses. He left nothing un-stroked, un-kissed, no part of her warrior's body was ignored by his mouth or hands.

Underneath of her, their hips rolled in synchronicity, perfectly matched, perfectly timed, thrusting his cock and withdrawing it with each perfect motion. The deeper he went, the more intense it felt, and the louder she moaned. Eventually, those slow rolling thrusts became faster, pounding into her so hard her breasts bounced between them.

Fenris' fingers curled around her shoulders, nails digging into her flesh and making her bleed. He saw the scratches, kissed the shallow wounds with breathless apology and enfolded her in his arms until their bodies were one. Against her ear, Fenris whispered her name over and over, telling her he loved her, how much he needed her. He was vulnerable, terrified by his emotional weakness but utterly safe in her arms so it was easy just to let himself go.

When the explosive release of passions came, it was simultaneous for them both, their bodies singing harmony as one. The release was a kind of rapture that built up slowly, culminating in a rapturous assault on the very fiber of their corporeal beings.

Fenris' body was lit like a beacon, filling the bedroom with his bright, blue-white glow. His markings usually did glow a bit during lovemaking but never before had he burned with so much effulgence. Justina then looked down at herself...

...She was glowing as well.

Fenris started to panic but she held him tight, refusing to let him end the intensely erotic bubble of passion she enjoyed. "Shhh... Relax. I am in no pain..." She whispered against his lips. He devoured her mouth in a ravenous kiss that sent chills throughout her body, intensifying her pleasure.

Whatever his body was doing to her, it sent her to a pinnacle of ecstasy she'd never thought possible. The firm pressure of his thick, throbbing cock inside her and lean, muscular body coupled with a million tiny sensations rippling throughout her body ensured that her orgasm took several minutes to end.

Eventually, it did end and their mutual lights extinguished as Fenris flopped back against the bed, his body soaked with sweat. Justina, her short, ruby-red hair dripping, lay on top of him with her hands folded under her chin and a teasing smile on her lips. Inside her, Fenris' member slowly went limp until it slid out between his legs. The sheets beneath him were soaked though he was so spent, he didn't care.

"That was..." she breathed softly.

"You were glowing. What did I do to you?" he asked softly, deeply concerned as he stroked her cheek with his fingers.

"Mmm. You... You gave me the most disgustingly rapturous experience of my life, that's what you did. I'll follow you about like a bitch in heat for the rest of your days, Fenris, thanks to this display of your other little-known talents. Maker's breath, that was unbelievable!"

"So... I didn't hurt you?" He asked, his face a mask of concern.

She giggled, her heart warmed by his loving compassion. "No, but you have ruined me for life. I don't expect _that_ to happen all the time but... Just the reality that it _could_ will ensure my undying sexual loyalty for you," she teased with a silly kiss to his straight nose. "I love you."

Beneath her cheek, his heart pounded fast and his voice rumbled with amusement. "If _that_ happened all the time, my enemies would walk all over me and pick my corpse clean. I'm done for."

Laughing, she pulled the blankets up over their sweat-drenched bodies to stave off the autumn chill and joked, "Both of us!" Justina then laid beside him, her head using his lyrium-marked chest as a pillow, her arm across his body with her legs entwined with his. Soon, sleep claimed them both.

To be continued...


End file.
